Cessna 182 accident near California City, California, July 28, 1998
On July 28, 1998 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N6493A, was substantially damaged in an accident near California City, California. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to assure that an adequate supply of fuel was available for the flight and his inadequate preflight planning/preparation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1998 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6493A · registry record · serial 33293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had refueled the airplane with approximately 3.5 inches of fuel, which equates to 15.5 gallons. According to the Pilot Operator Handbook at 6,500 feet the fuel burn is approximately 13.9 gallons an hour. The pilot flew the airplane for 1.5 hours before the accident. The engine began to run roughly after dropping skydivers and returning to base. He completed the emergency checklist without an engine restart and declared an emergency. The aircraft landed in soft desert terrain and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane fuel system and engine were inspected. It was noted that there was a minor leak from the top of the fuel selector unit; however, no further anomalies were noted. A discrepancy sheet noted that the magnetos were not grounded, the exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature gages were inoperative, and fuel needed to be in both tanks with the fuel selector in the both position.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 610 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L71 CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:28 pm from PMD, 63 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.